Thursday, October 11, 2012

Heaven

First congratulations on the quick thinking to come up with the term "insightful." 

The list of "things" you read that are not in Heaven such as lust, arguments, coveting etc leads me to believe we will not have free will. Angels have free will and they do not sin and as far as I understand those who don't sin have never sinned but could at any time.  We cannot say that about us. We are beings that have sinned but are given to understand we will change to beings that do not. Doesn't that require that practice start in this phase of eternity and if it does not will we be in Heaven?

 Allowing free will will exist in Heaven what will cause people claiming to be Christian who are prejudiced, argumentative, selfish etc to change or won't they be in Heaven? You said there will be no temptation. James says temptation comes from within. What will cause folks to change? Having our sins forgiven does not change the desire for sinful things. What will cause us to change.

You said our favorite people will be in Heaven and asked who our favorite people are? I forget the specific words you used but a paraphrase would be our favorite people are those with whom we share the same faith. That may be who should be our favorite people but each individual has to answer for themselves. If that is a pre-requisite then those folks whose favorite people are not people with whom they share a faith will not be there. They will be elsewhere with their favorite people.  As when Paul told the Romans the spirit is witness with our spirit that we are children of God the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God only IF we are children of God. 

Folks mention the valuable things in Heaven. If Christians understood the human cost to mining gold they should not want any amount of it. Same with diamonds and many other items considered precious.

There are people who believe animals will be in Heaven. That requires animals having souls. Would the pit-bull breed be allowed in Heaven?  What criteria must be met for an animal to enter Heaven?

The problem with dreaming of Heaven is it facilitates folks in believing whatever they believe is correct and the facts are we know nothing.  What we want makes no difference. And what could be more important to a Christian than being with God?
I used to think the way you mentioned i.e. not wanting to go to Heaven now because I wanted to watch my grandchilren graduate, get married etc. The one day it dawned on me those are all meaningless compared with Heaven. Is a Christian who does not crave being with God a Christian? If a Christian dreams about anything other than being with God and Jesus a Christian? Just how much of our treasure is stored up in Heaven and how much is stored up here? 
You asked great questions but I doubt if many caught their significance
 

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